THE mother of a teenager killed by a drink-driving nurse has criticised the prison sentence as "little more than a slap on the wrist".
Heather Butler, 67, was sentenced to five years and four months for killing Sam Brown, 15, in Eastrington, while almost two-and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit.
Butler continued driving more than 200m with Sam's bike stuck to the front of her Audi A4. She then stopped, tossed aside the bike and continued her journey to work shortly before 9pm on September 6 last year.
Sam's mum Tracey, 42, said Butler could be out of prison in two years and eight months.
"You get more for robbing," she said. "It is little more than a slap on the wrist.
"She was drink-driving a car and she killed my son and drove off. In my eyes, that is murder."
"It makes you think Sam didn't mean anything to anyone."
Butler hit Sam's bike on the B1230 Hull Road in Eastrington while she was on her way to her night shift at the Old School House care home in Gilberdyke.
She hit the Howden School and Technology School student's rear cycle wheel, knocking him into his friend Luke Wheel before he was catapulted over the windscreen onto the grass verge.
Luke suffered a fractured shoulder while Sam, who was just about to start his GCSEs, died from his injuries.
His father, Stephen, said: "It is disgusting. She should have stopped and helped.
"Who knows, she could have helped save him.
"Instead, she didn't brake and drove on to work. She even threw his bike to the side of the road."
Sam's parents were in Hull Crown Court with their family and friends to watch Butler being sent to prison.
Mrs Brown, who worked at the same care home as Butler, said: "I didn't work the same shift as her, but I knew who she was and would say hi if I saw her.
"Court was the first time I had seen her since she killed Sam.
"I wanted to go to court and for her to look at me and for her to see what she had done.
"She didn't even look up at us."
Sam was killed just six months after Tracey's father died from cancer.
Mr Brown, who said Sam used to enjoy fishing and shooting, says he accepts the sentence but thinks it is "ridiculous".
"I'm glad court is over," he said. "It has been going on for seven months.
"We can now try to pick up the pieces."
The court heard it was not the first time Butler had arrived at work, looking after vulnerable elderly residents, smelling of alcohol.
Such were the concerns she had once been formally reported for being drunk at work.
Mrs Brown, who has not heard from managers at her work since Sam's death, said: "She is a nurse in charge so to be drinking before work anyway is unacceptable.
"I want to know what happened after the complaint and what is going to happen now. I want answers and I will fight for answers for Sam.
"Heads should roll in terms of management.
"If she had been driving to work having been drunk previously, it should have been stopped and this might never have happened.
"I think their incompetence cost my son his life."
Since Sam's death, the family have been inundated with messages of support and friends have raised more than £4,000 for a memorial in the centre of Gilberdyke.
"The community has been brilliant," said Mr Brown.
"However, for us, nothing can be the same now Sam has gone – it is devastating.
"I feel guilty enjoying myself as I am missing Sam. He should be here enjoying it with us."
Mrs Brown said: "I'll never see Sam with a girlfriend, see him get married.
"It breaks my heart going to the cemetery. The majority of people in there died in their 60s and 70s. Sam was just 15.
"The pain is unbearable."
The care home was approached by the Mail but declined to comment.
